Community celebrates teenager who was unable to ring bell at end of chemo treatment

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Community celebrates teenager who was unable to ring bell at end of chemo treatment

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Updated: 12:06 PM CDT Apr 10, 2020

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THE COMMUNITY BROUGHT THE CELEBRATION TO HIS FRONT DOOR. >> WE FIGURED WE HAD TO FIND SOME WAY TO CELEBRATE. THEY ARE SUCH A GREAT FAMILY. THEY DESERVE THIS. WHAT STARTED AS A SMALL IDEA GREW TO THIS IN JUST A FEW HOURS. >> IT TURNED INTO THIS AMAZING RAY -- DISPLAY. >> AFTER THREE ROUNDS OF CHEMOTHERAPY, THEY MARK THEIR LAST DAY OF TREATMENT AT JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL. HE WAS ROBBED OF A LOT OF STUFF OVER 3.5 YEARS. THE RONA ROBBED HIM OF BEING ABLE TO RING THE BELL AND US STILL IN THE HALLS AT HOPKINS. WHEN HE WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED, I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE FIRST THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN AND IT HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER AS A FAMILY IN WAYS I COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED. TRE: BUT UNLIKE MOST SURVIVORS -- >> WE DIDN’T GET TO RING THE BELL, HIS FAMILY COULDN’T BE THERE WE COULDN’T HAVE A PARTY. TRE: SO SINCE HE COULDN’T RING THE BELL. DOZENS OF LOVED ONES, INCLUDING BALTIMORE COUNTY FIRST RESPONDERS, SURPRISED HIS FAMILY BY BRINGING THE NOISE TO HIM. >> SEEING MANY OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH IT, THROUGH MY CAREER AS A FIREMAN, THAT CEREMONY IN ITSELF IS A BIG DEAL AND HOPEFULLY BY US DOING THIS, THAT KIND OF MAKES UP FOR I TRE: IT’S IRONIC HOW A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE COAL STRENGTH -- -- KOHLS STRENGTH WHEN IT IS STRENGTH LIKE HIS THAT IS NEEDED TO SEE PEOPLE THROUGH, HIS ACHIEVEMENT INSPIRING A COMMUNITY TO BE STRONG. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR ALL OF US FROM DAY ONE. WHETHER IT WAS JUST A CALL OR A TEXT OR A CARD, STOPPING IN AND MAKING DINNER, IT’S BEEN A LONG THREE YEARS. TRE: HIS FAMILY SAYS HE NOW HAS FIVE MORE DAYS OF TREATMENT AT ANOTHER FACIL

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Community celebrates teenager who was unable to ring bell at end of chemo treatment

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Updated: 12:06 PM CDT Apr 10, 2020

Ringing the bell at the end of cancer treatment is a milestone many survivors can't wait to achieve, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, one Maryland teen was unable to mark the end of his own fight with the disease. However, one community rallied to bring the celebration to his front door."So, we figured we had to find some way to celebrate. He's such a great kid. They're such a great family, and they deserve this,” said organizer and family friend Rochelle Walker.What started as a simple idea grew into a parade in just hours."What went from, ‘Maybe I could get a fire truck to come,’ turned into this amazing display,” said Walker.For more than three years, Cole Kilmon, 14, of Baltimore County, has battled leukemia, and after three rounds of chemotherapy, on Thursday marked his last day of treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital."He was robbed of a lot of stuff over three-and-a-half years and the corona robbed him of being able to ring the bell and us filling the halls at Hopkins,” said Jamie Bonanno, Kilmon’s mother. "When Cole was first diagnosed, I thought this was the worst thing that could ever happen and it has brought us together as a family in ways that I could never imagined,” said Crystal Lannuzzi, Kilmon’s stepmother."Because of everything going on, he didn't get to ring the bell. His family couldn't be there. We couldn't have a party," Walker said.Since he couldn't ring the bell dozens of loved ones, including local first responders, surprised his family by bringing the noise to him."Seeing many of people going through it, through my career as a fireman, that ceremony in itself is a big deal and hopefully by us doing this, that kind of makes up for it,” said Chief George Theodoroy, of the North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department.The community gathering together to celebrate Kilmon's strength, during such a concerning time in the nation, inspiring a community to be “Cole-Strong.""Thank you for being there for all of us from day one whether it was just a call, a text, a card, stopping in, making dinner. It's been a long three years,” said Walker. And Kilmon’s family said while he's now celebrating his last treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he has about five days of treatment until he's cancer free.

EDGEMERE, Md. —

Ringing the bell at the end of cancer treatment is a milestone many survivors can't wait to achieve, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, one Maryland teen was unable to mark the end of his own fight with the disease.

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However, one community rallied to bring the celebration to his front door.

"So, we figured we had to find some way to celebrate. He's such a great kid. They're such a great family, and they deserve this,” said organizer and family friend Rochelle Walker.

What started as a simple idea grew into a parade in just hours.

"What went from, ‘Maybe I could get a fire truck to come,’ turned into this amazing display,” said Walker.

For more than three years, Cole Kilmon, 14, of Baltimore County, has battled leukemia, and after three rounds of chemotherapy, on Thursday marked his last day of treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

"He was robbed of a lot of stuff over three-and-a-half years and the corona robbed him of being able to ring the bell and us filling the halls at Hopkins,” said Jamie Bonanno, Kilmon’s mother.

"When Cole was first diagnosed, I thought this was the worst thing that could ever happen and it has brought us together as a family in ways that I could never imagined,” said Crystal Lannuzzi, Kilmon’s stepmother.

"Because of everything going on, he didn't get to ring the bell. His family couldn't be there. We couldn't have a party," Walker said.

Since he couldn't ring the bell dozens of loved ones, including local first responders, surprised his family by bringing the noise to him.

"Seeing many of people going through it, through my career as a fireman, that ceremony in itself is a big deal and hopefully by us doing this, that kind of makes up for it,” said Chief George Theodoroy, of the North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department.

The community gathering together to celebrate Kilmon's strength, during such a concerning time in the nation, inspiring a community to be “Cole-Strong."

"Thank you for being there for all of us from day one whether it was just a call, a text, a card, stopping in, making dinner. It's been a long three years,” said Walker.

And Kilmon’s family said while he's now celebrating his last treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he has about five days of treatment until he's cancer free.